The borders are on the Dresden Plate quilt. I have one border quilted. Now to mark and quilt the other three.
April’s UFO Challenge
Judy has announced this month’s challenge number. It’s #4. In theory that means I’ll be working on one of these two quilts:
From list #1 (get the quilt to the top stage) is the Red, White & Blue Sampler. These blocks came from a couple of different sources. Some of them are from a small shop hop I did in May 2009 and some were birthday blocks sent to me last year. I’ve tossed in a couple of extra blocks to get the count up to 15.
These blocks are tossed into my retreat bag to take with me next week. At the moment, I’m leaning toward sashing and quilting the blocks and then assembling them in the same manner I’m doing my Dresden Plate. If I go this way, the completed blocks with sashing will be my “top”.
From list # 2 (quilt & bind) is “Thangles 2”. This is one of the two baby quilt tops I made from my Thangles BOM blocks from several years ago. I picked the “black and bright” theme but didn’t think the brights selected worked well together and made two baby quilts with 2 blocks left over for “back art”. Then there was my piecing. Ugh! Anyway, in theory this is the quilt top #4 which needs to be quilted.
So, what will I really do?
Last month Judy picked # 1, which is the 4-Patch Stacked Posies quilt my mom started several years ago off my list #1. I didn’t work on it in March because I needed something to take to the retreat in April. It is my plan to get this quilt to the top stage at the retreat.
It’s my intention to finish the Dresden Plate quilt (February’s Challenge) this weekend. I’m in the process of putting the borders on, so with luck, I’ll have it done for Monday’s Design Wall.
Also on this month’s list to complete is the Mini Stars quilt; appliquéing the letters for the Crossword Puzzle quilt (one of the “7 by June” quilts), complete two twin quilt tops (pieces already cut out) and get hanging sleeves on any quilt I’m planning on entering in the Guild quilt show. I’d really like to quilt the baby mystery quilt, but think I ran out of month three or four projects ago – especially since I want to get The Chain Event (a “7 by June” quilt) done this month.
March UFO Challenge is Met
Admittedly this pink and blue quilt is listed as #7 on my UFO Challenge list, but I did say there may be occasions where if a quilt needed to get bumped up, I’d swap #s. So, I’m swapping #7 for #1. It just didn’t seem right to use my bunny quilt to meet this month’s challenge since it wasn’t list on the UFO Challenge tab — although it was on either the “tops to be quilted” or “quilts in progress” tab at the beginning of the year. Anyway, this quilt got bumped to the front of the line so I could practice quilting dragonflies.
For the backing, I used a piece of vintage fabric I got from my friend S when she was cleaning out her stash a year ago. Come to think of it, the blue & white hearts came from her stash as well.
The quilt is approximately 39″ square. I used Warm & Natural batting, King Tut # 993 (white) in the top and Bottomline in the bobbin. The binding is stitched down by machine — I can’t think of any binding I’ve done by hand.
Now on to the next quilt – Dragonflies.
This is the first of the seven quilts I need done by the end of June. Here’s a closeup of the quilting. My dragonflies were various sized and going every which way.
I opted for King Tut # 978 – Rosetta Stone in the top. I wasn’t gutsy enough to use the bright thread.
White thread in the bobbin. So essentially you can’t see my quilting — which at this point is a good thing.
After washing the quilt measures 57 x 68. I used Warm & Natural batting in this one as well.
What’s On My Design Wall
No piecing this week. I’ve got the binding attached to the baby quilt and hope to get it sewn down tonight. Then I’ll trim the Dragonflies and work on binding it. Stay tuned for better pictures later in the week.
In the mean time, check out the links over at Patchwork Times for great inspiration.
Backing Fabrics Found…
… and thread, stabilizer, needles, glue, more fabric and (not pictured) 10 yards of batting!
I drove down to Rocking Chair Quilts in Butler, Missouri today and quilted my Pink and Blue Carolina Christmas quilt and my Dragonfly quilts. While I was there I looked at fabric for 3 of the 7 quilts I need to get done by the end of June.
I decided the Nancy Halvorsen 108″ wide backing fabric would work for two — the purple, yellow and green Old Tobacco Road and the green, peach and magnolia Chain Event. The orange fabric? Well, I just liked it.
Then, I made a stop at Jo-Ann’s and the in-store sewing machine shop for stabilizer and thread for the new-to-me embroidery machine. I think the first thing I’ll make is a couple of quilt labels. Finally, since the batting was on sale and I had a coupon which worked on the entire purchase – both regular and sale priced items – I picked up 10 yards of batting. Other than scraps, I was out of batting.
Now I just need TIME to get the quilts quilted and bound. I setup two appointments in May to do more quilting in Butler. There’s so much going on in April, I can’t get back down there.
Off to see about binding a quilt.
Stash Report
The week started off with shopping in my friend’s fabric closet. I don’t have many batiks and this was a great way to get my feet wet, so to speak. I have a project in mind, but by the time I get that far, I may change my mind once or twice. The other fabric purchase was backing for one of the quilts I have to get done this Spring.
On the usage front, I pulled a piece of vintage fabric to back my pink & blue baby Carolina Christmas. I have way more fabric than I need in the backing, since it was only 36″ wide. But I only counted what I would have used had it been 40-45″ wide. I’ll trim off the rest and put it back in the stash after I get it quilted.
I also made the backing for the Dragonfly quilt and got it pinned to the leaders. The plan is to quilt the baby quilt and get my design down before tackling the big quilt. I decided to play it safe and go with the Rosetta Stone thread (dark silver, charcoal, & light silver). I’ll use white bobbin thread. I also purchased a spool of King Tut white thread for the baby quilt so the tension should be close as I transition from one quilt to the other.
My machine went into the shop Friday morning after I sewed the seam on the Dragonfly backing. Saturday night I pulled Miss Genie out and made a sample Twisting Star block. This will go with my red, white & blue shop hop blocks I picked up a two years ago. Mustn’t rush in to anything.
Fabric Added this Week: 10.5 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 18.694 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 7.125 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 41.601 yards
Net Used for 2011: 22.907 yards
More may have come in this week than gone out, but I’m still a head of the game for the year, with less fabric on the shelf – meaning more quilts to be used and loved.
Check out how others are doing by following the links over at Patchwork Times.
Dragonflies is a Top
I’ve just finished putting the border on Dragonflies. The top measures approximately 60 x 72.
Tomorrow’s task to to make the backing for this quilt and Victoria’s Rose.
This afternoon I took a file box of quilting books, patterns, and magazines to Fabric Recycles. They will purchase your unwanted fabric, notions, and pattern for either cash or store credit, or you can simply make a donation. While I was waiting for the offer on my stuff, I looked for backing fabric for the other 4 quilt tops which I will be quilting over the next 14 weeks.
I found this fabric:
It will be perfect for the backing of Victoria’s Rose, and at $2 a yard, I can’t beat the price. I paid for it from the cash I got for my box of books and pattern and still came home with money in my pocket. I wasn’t able to find anything for my other quilt tops, but I’ll try to swing by there the next time I’m out and about to see if anything new has come in.
What’s on my Design Wall
This past weekend I worked on my Dragonfly quilt. It still needs borders, but I need sleep more. After work I’ll get the rest of the borders on and perhaps get the backing pieced.
Isn’t this fabric perfect for the backing?
I’ve got an appointment in Butler on the 27th to quilt this top, so I’ve got to practice drawing dragonflies. While I’m doing that, I’ll ponder thread color. I have a spool of King Tut #901 Nefertiti which is Green, Fuchsia, Yellow, and Orchid. This is the thread that I used to quilt No Blue Geese in My Tropical Garden. It’s missing orange and turquoise. So, I wonder about using # 978 Rosetta Stone which is a Light Silver, Charcoal and Dark Silver – but the Superior website says this is out of stock, so that may solve the problem for me. There will be an outer black border and the binding will be black as well.
Follow the links over at Patchwork Times to see what others are working on.
Nora – Quality Control Cat
Nora was one of the two cats at the Sew-In I was at over the weekend. She handled Quality Control.
Stash Report
I’m late with this week’s stash report because I’ve been at a Sew-In with my quilting buddies. Good food, good conversation, people who understand quilting and a friend who opens her stash for you to shop in. What more can you ask for?
I’m not reporting my stash shopping that I did earlier today. It will go on next week’s report. So, for this past week, no new fabric came into the house…. Wait, I just remembered a bag of scraps I was given. I haven’t even gone through them, so I’ll have to count them later when I see what I have.
Toward the used count, I have the borders for both the Dresden Plate and Dragonfly quilts and the backing for the Bunny Wallhanging. I just looked and I haven’t figured out how much fabric I cut for the red, white & blue quilt, so when I start working on it I’ll report it.
So, here are the numbers.
Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 8.194 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 4.878 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 34.476 yards
Net Used for 2011: 26.282 yards
Check out how others are doing by following the links over at Patchwork Times. I’m off to empty the car now that I’ve taken a nap.
